Gas-operated machine-gun.



A. H. FOX.

GAS OPERATED MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1916.

Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

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GAS OPERATED MACHlNE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY26.1916.

Patented Feb. 4, '1919.

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GAS OPERATE-D MACHINEv GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY'zs. Isle.

1,293,396. PIII-@med Feb. 4, 1919.

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I/ Il@ UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

ANSLEY H. FQX, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ANSLEY H. FOX C0.,

A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

GAS-GPERATED MACHINE-GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

, application med my 2s, 191e. serial No. 99,953.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ANSLEY H. Fox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Operated Machine-Guns, of which the following is a specification. p

My invention relates to breech-loading gas-actuated guns, and more particularly to gas-actuated automatic machine guns.

The prime object of this invention is to so construct aA gas-actuated machine gun as to furnish a maximum of eiiciency with a minimum of operating parts.

A further object of the invention is the simplification and strengthening of the mechanism of a as-operated automatic ma,- chine un, by wiich the certa-inty'and reliability of its operation is assured and the' various processes of manufacture are made easier and more economical.4

Another object of the invention is to provide improved air-cooling means for cooling the barrel of the gun, in connection with the gas-actuated and power-controlling parts of the gun.

' A still further object of this invention is to furnish improved cartridge-feeding devices for retaming and releasing the cartridges and maintaining a continuous automatic firing of the gun. And linally,-th'e object is lto provide certain details of construction in connection with the ejector mechanism of the gun.

The foregoing and such other-objects as In the accompanying drawings it will be I seen that l Figure l, is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved mechanism embodying my invention showing the gun mechanism in the ready to fi-re position.

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectional view showing the mechanism in the act of firing.

Fig. 3, is an enlarged central transverse section-al view of the cartridge magazine showing cartridges radially positioned therein.

Fig. 4,.is a vertical sectional view of the cartridge magazine, ltaken onthe line L -a,

. Fig. 3.

. Fig. 5, is an enlarged sectional elevation through a portion o'f the cartridge magazine and gun, taken on the line b-b, Fig. 1. y

Fig. 6, is an enlarged plan vview of the sliding breech-bolt showing the cartridge yblank ejecting and extracting mechanism in ings.

In the embodiment of this invention as illustrated and which shows a preferred construction, the numeral 1 indicates the gunbarrel and 2 is the gun frame or receiver,to which the gun-barrel is rigidly secured by screw-threads shown at 3, in Figs. 1 and 2. The gun frame or receiver is provided with a longitudinal chamber 4, in line with the bore -of the gun-barrel, within which the breech-block and controlling mechanism reci rocates. A

4igs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate my improved mea-ns for air-cooling the gun barrel, which consists of a cylndrlcal air jacket composed of two sections 5 and 6, each section being open at both ends, the rear section 5 being connected at one end to the gun frame 2, and at the other endl to a ring 7 secured to the gun-barrel near the forward end portionof the barrel, said rear section having a. series of openings or ports'S at its rear end to freely admit the air which is drawn over and around the barrel and through the air jacket by the suction created at its forward end caused by the forward rush'of powder gases leaving the muzzle of the gun-barrel the'said ring 7 at the point 9. Asleeve also composed of two sections 10 and 11, each section being provided with a series of radially projecting ri'bs 12, .which extend longitudinally, is shown surrounding the gunbarrel and the air as it passes through the air jacket and between the series of ribs carrles 'off the heat as it is drawn' there held in place by the forward sleeve section 11, constituting the mouth-piece, which forces the ring rearward against the shoulder 13 formed on the gun-barrel, and the ring is prevented from turning by a key 14, carried by the gun-barrel and which -engages akey-slot formed in said ring, and an opening 15 is provided on either side of the vertical center of the ring to permit the free passage of air therethrough, as .clearly shown in Fig. 7. v

By thus securely fastening the ring 7. to the gun-barrel at the point4 registering with the gas outlet port 16-formed in the gun- .-barrel, the gasjis caused to pass vfrom said portv 16 through the vertically disposed opening 17, and the lateral openlng, 18,

formed within the ring, thus conveying thev escaping gas from the port 16 in the barrel, to t e head of the gas operated piston 19, and said ring 7 is so formed as to carry the forward end of the tube or casing 20; a screw 20 for regulating the size of the opening leading to said piston, and the front gun sight 21.

The tube or casing 20 is secured at its rear end to the forward end portion of the gun frame or receiver 2, and is vprovided intermediate its length with a gas outlet port 23, and a piston 19 and a piston rod 22 is adapted to reciprocate within said casing, the said piston rod being surroundedbv a helical spring 24, the rear lend of the spring resting in contact with the forwardv end of the gun frame or receiver, and its forward end resting against the rear face of the piston 19.

The numeral 25 indicates the action slide adapted to reciprocate'back' and forth within the gun frame or receiver, said slide being fastened at its front end portion by a pin 26, or in any other suitable manner, to the rear end portion of the piston rod 22, and provided with an upwardly projecting lug 27 at its rear portion; a longitudinally extending slot 28 which passes Atransversely therethrough forming an upper cam surface 29 and a lower cam surface 29'; a notch .or recess 30, which is milled into the bottom thereof, and adapted to engage the projecting end portion 31 of'a'trigger 32 plvotally secured to the bottom portion of the gun intermedlate upward projecting lug 36 hav-- ing front cam surfaces 36', and within a recess formed in the action slide beneath the sear is seated a coiled spring 37 adapted to force the pawl in-an upward' direction.

Projecting rearwardly within the gun frame or receiver is a solid integral portion 38, its upper surface forming a support for the breech-bolt 29, `its lower surface forming a guide forthe upper surface of the action 4bolt, and its rear lower corner 38 being rounded for the ,purpose hereinafter referred to.

The reciprocating breech-bolt 39 is :provided with an integrall downward'extending lug 40 at its rear end portion, and a central longitudinal opening therethrough adapted to receive a'fring pin'41, a portion of the pintbeing surrounded by a helical spring 42 adapted to keep it out 'of contact with the cartridge until the gun operating parts assume their proper firing position, and said pin isvprovided with a recessed portion 43 and a securing pin 43? is fitted in said'recess in, order to retain the firing pin in its proper relative position. Pivoted to the forward end of the breech-bolt is a shell extractor 44, actuated by the. helical spring 45 in the usual manner as shown in Fig. 6, and the rear end portion of th breech-bolt is cutaway at each side thereof to form locking shoulders 46. `Milled or cut in one side of the breech bolt is a longitudinal recess or "groove 47 forming a shouldered portionl 48 near its forward end portion, adapted to operate a shell ejector. 49, which is pivoted to the receiver or frame, since by reference to- Fig. 6 ofthe drawings it will be readily seen that by the forward movement 'of the breech-bolt the front end of said bolt will contact with the inclined portion 50 of the ejector pushing the ejector out of the path of the `bolt and causing the rear end portion 51 of the ejector to enter the longitudinal groove or recess 47 formed lengthwise in the side of the bolt, hence during the last part of the rearward movement of the breech bolt the shouldered portion 48 will strike against the rear end 51 of the ejector and throw the forward'end against the side of the empty shell with suicient aov no j

force to eject *it out of the gun through the for the loaded cartridge and preventing it gun-barrel.

from rolling out of the ejector slot 48 until the breech-bolt starts to move forward when the front of the bolt will'push the cartridge forward so the bullet end ofthe shell enters the cartridge chamber in the barrel just before the front end` of the bolt will push the ejector out of the path of the breech bolt,

Fitted loosely within the longitudinal slot 28, in the action slide 25, is a cylindrical pin 52 extending transversely therethrough each endV of said pin carrying upwardly extending locking arms or bars 53, said arms or bars 53 being adapted to lock and unlock the breech bolt by 'the forward and rearward movement of the action slide, since when the action slide, which is attached to the piston rod, is caused to move rearward by the pressure of gas against the face of the piston, the upper cam surface 29v will contact with the cylindrical pin thus forcing the locking arms or bars 53 downward to a point below the locking shoulders 46 of the breech-bolt, thereby unlocking the breech bolt so that it can be forced to its; rearward position by the shoulder 32 on the action slide which contacts with the depending lug 40 -of the vbreech-bolt and carries it to the rear as soon as itis unlocked. v

It will -be understood that the locking' arms or bars 53 are retainedvbya vertical recess or groove formed in each side of thc inner walls of the receiver in order to` pre- 'vent the action slide from carrying back the said locking bars 53.

When the action slide and breech-bolt? reach the rear position, as shown in Fig. 1, the trigger is moved by the trigger spring 55 into engagement with the retaining notch or recess 30, and the parts are thus held in position until ythe trigger is pulled. When the trigger isg'pulled out of the retaining notch, the piston spring 24 forces the action slide forward, and as the action slide pawl 34, has been forced yupward by the pawl spring 37, into 'engagement with the rear end` of the depending lug 40, of the breech bolt, the breech bolt is thus carried forward with the action slide to its forward position stopping against the rear end of the During the forward motion of the action slide 25 the projecting cam surface 36 formed on the` pawl comes in contact with the rounded corner 38 of the solid metal 38 and is forced down and out of engagement with the breech-bolt, thereby allowing the action slide to continue its forward movement for the purpose of locking the bolt and firing the cartridge, the locking of the breech bolt being accomplished by the contact of the llower cam surface 29 with the cylindri- ,lug 27 to strike the rear end of -the firing pin with sufficient force to. drive theI- front end of the firing pin into the primer and thus fire the cartridge, after which lthe gun will cal pin 52 which forces the pin and locking continue to fire as oftenv asthe trlgger is pulled, or held back, and the cartridges are provided.

It will be understood that the locking arms or bars must be up in the locked position be'- `fore the slide can come far enough forward to strike the firing pin, this feature prevent ing the discharge of the vun until the breech bolt is securely locke and assumes its proper firing position. i The cartridges are carried by and fed from a drum shaped magazine secured o n a stud 57, screw threadedat its lower end58, whereby it is screwed intoV the gun frame or receiver, and the bottom A58 of the magacartridges andthe inner ring 64, provided with 'a series of outward integral ribs or extensions 65, adapted to carry the bul-letend of the cartridges. A convolutespring 66,

of the general type used in clocks, is provided to rotate the cartridge carrier, andas the cartridges are rotated 'past the slot 594 "the projecting portion 67 integral with theV bottom plate 58', serves to guide the cartridges down through the slot and into the receiver from which they are then pushed into the barrel during the forward movement of thebreech-bolt.

By reference to the drawings it will be v seen that the ejector 49 prevents more than one cartridge at a time getting in front of the breech-bolt when the bolt 1s in its rear position, and the top of the bolt itselfserves to stop the cartridge leaving the 'magazine when the bolt is in the forward position. The magazine is also provided with a latch 68; a latch spring 69, and a pivot pin 70, carried by and Secured to the sleeve 71', the said sleeve being formed integral with the` bottom plate 5,8. The latch 68 is adapted to engage at one end with a series of ratchet 'teeth 72 forming a part of the rotating car- `as the spring acts.'

ment of cartridges'from themagazine when the latter is lifted ofi the stud 57 for reloading or other purposes.

As-sliown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that the stud 57,1is formed with a shouldered portion 73, which serves to raisel the rearend of the latch 68 against the latch spring 69, thus automatically throwing the forward end of the latch out of engagement with the ratchetteetlr 7 2 on the cartridge carrier and thus permitting the magazine spring 66 to rotate the carrier whenever the -magazine is seated all the way down on the stud as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The top 74 of the magazine is readily removed in order to fill the magazine -withl cartridges by unscrewing it from the threaded upper portion 75 of the sleeve 7l.

The stud 57 is provided with a spring actuated plunger or catch 76 having a tapered rounded point 77 which engages with a cor responding groove formed in the inner peripheral portion of the sleeve 71, thefunction of said plunger or catch being to exert sufficient pressure against the grooved surface of the sleeve to 'prevent-the magazine from falling olf the Istud, although the magazine may be readily removed by an operator using enough physical force to force back the rounded point of the spring plunger or catch as the magazine is slid up or down on the stud in removing or attachingit.' The said stud 57 is also pro` vided with a key 78, which engages with a key slot formed in the magazine sleeve 71, thereby preventing the sleeve from turning on the stud, since as one end of the magazine spring is secured to the non-revolving sleeve at 79, and the other acting end of the .spring is secured at 80 to the cartridge carrier, it is evident that theoarrier alone will revolve between the coverand bottom plate If desired, the inner ring 64 may be omitted and in place the bullet ends of the cartridges contained in the magazine may be guided downward by a spiral auger shaped groove contained in a nonrevolving central portionsuch as is commonly used in drum type magazines.

The operation of the arts of my improved mechanism, startmg in the fired position shown in Fig. 2, is as follows As soon as the bullet passes the gas outlet port hole in the gun-barrel a portion of the live powder gas rushes through said port hole, through the outlet port in the ring 7 and against the forward face of the piston 19, forcing the piston-rearward against the tension of the helical spring until the piston passes to the rear of the gas exhaust port or outlet 23 formed in the tube 20, the gas thus escaping through said exhaust port and the piston is then returned to its original for'- ward position by the action of the helical spring 24 which was compressed during the rearward movement of the piston.` This acl tion and construction is of the general nature' used in many gas operated machine guns.

During the rearward movement of the piston, the action slide 25 secured to the piston rod, afs shown, is carried rearward and the rearward movement of the action slide is used to unlock the breech-bolt 39 and move it to its rearward position as shown in Fig. 1. As-the slide moves rearwardly, the upper cam surface formed in the slide engages with the cylindrical pin carrying the upright locking bars or arms and said cam -surface forces the said pin and locking bars downward until they are below the locking shoulders formed on the breech-bolt 39, thereby unlocking the breech bolt so that it can be forced to its rearward position by the shoulder on the action slide which then Vcomes into Contact with the breech-bolt at the lower end of its depending lug and carries it to the rear as soon as it is unlocked.

l/Vhen the action slide and breech-bolt reach tlierear position shown in Fig. l, the trigger is moved bythe trigger-spring into engagement withthe retaining notch or `recess formed in the bottom of the action slide and the parts are thus held in this position until the trigger is pulled.l During the rearward motion of the breech-bolt the empty shell is 4extracted from thev gun-barrel by meansof the extractor hook pivoted to the forward end ofthe breech bolt, and actuated by the helical spring injthe usual manner as shown in Fig. 6. v

`The ejection of the fired shell is accomplished by the ejector pivoted to the receiver or frame and is operated by the shoulder formed by -a roove out in the side of the -breech-bolt, w ich shoulder strikes the rear end of the ejector during the, last part of the rearward movement of the breech-bolt and thus throws the forward end portion of the ejector against the side of the fired shell with suflicient force to eject it-out of the gun through the ejection slot formed in the side of the receiver. The ejector remains in this position as the next loaded shell is fed started to enter the chamber being pushed there by the 'forward motion of the breechbolt and thus prevented 'from falling out of the ejection slot after the ejector is pushed from under it. 'Ilhe ejector thus serves as a Vgate for the magazine and guide for the loaded shell, in addition to its usual function of ejectin the empty shell. When -the trigger is pill ed out of the` retaining notch, the piston spring- -orces the action slide forward and as the sear carried by said slide has been forced up by the Sear-springinto engagement with the rear end of the de'- pending lug of the breech-bolt, the breechbolt is carried forward with the action slide to its original forward position stopping against the rear end of the barrel. During thisforward motion of the slide the projectingcam surface on the spring actuated pawl comes in contact with the rounded corner of the solid metal within the gun frame or receiver and forces the pawl down and out of engagement with the breech-bolt, thus allowing the actionslideV to continue its forward movement for the purpose of locking the bolt and firing the cartridge, the lockin of the breech-bolt being accomplishe by the action o f the lower.. cam surface in the slide against the cylindrical pin carrying the upright locking arms or bars which vforces the said locking arms or bars upward andinto the locked position behind the shoulders of the breech-bolt,land the still farther forward movement of the slide causing its upward extending lug to strike the rearprojecting end portion of the firing pin with sufficient force to drive the front end of the firing` pin into the primer and thus -gas from said ports, and for supporting re the cartridge, after which the gun will continue to fire as often as the trigger is pulled, or as long as'the trig er is held back and the cartridges are provi ed.

.It is obvious that the cylindrical pin andl locking arms, used for locking the breech bolt, may be made separate or integral.

v Having thus described my inventionwhat' I claim and desire to secure by Letters integral longitudinal ribs radiating there-l from, and a ring secured to the barrel intermediate its length for connecting one end of each` sleeve and one end of each of said casings.

2. Ina gun, the gun-barrel air cooling means comprising two cylindrical casings, two sleeves surrounding said barrel within said casings, each sleevehavin a series of integral longitudinal ribs radiating therefrom, and a ring secured to the barrel intermediate its length for connecting one end of each sleeve and one end'of each of said casings, said ring being provided with a gas outlet port registering with the outlet port in the gun-barrel.

3. In a gun, the gun-barrel air cooling 'means comprising two cylindrical casings each lsleeve having a series of integral longitudinal ribs radiating therefrom, a ring secured `to` the barrel intermediate its length for connecting one end of,reach sleeve and one end of each of said casings, said ring having a'vertical anda longitudinal gas out- 75 let port registering .with the outlet port in the gun-barrel, and means for regulating the outlet of gas from Vthe'ports in said ring. 4. Ina gun, the gun-barrel air cooling means, the gun-barrel provided with'a gas outlet port, a rin secured to said barrel provided with semi-circular openings therethrough at the sides of the gun-barrel for the passage -of air, a vertical and a longitudinal gas outlet port formed therein and registering with the outlet in the barrel, means carried by said ring for regulating the outlet of gas from the said ports, and

`for supporting one end of a tube arranged one' en d'of a tube arranged below said gunbarrel, and a gun sight, mounted at the upper end of said ring.

6. In' a gun, the gun-barrel air cooling 105 means comprising two sections of cylindrical casings surrounding said barrel, a ring secured 'tothe barrel .intermediate its length, the rear end of the rear casing being connected to the'gun frame and its front end to said ring, and the rear end of` the front. casing being secured to said ring, two sections of sleeves, each section having. a series of integral longitudinal ribs radiating therefrom and surrounding the gunbarrel within said casings, the rear end of the rear sleeve fitted to the gun frame and the front end to said ring, and the front sec- 1 tion of sleeve screwed to the outer end of the tion within said slide foi ocking and unlocking said bolt.

8. In a gas operated gun, areciprocating action slide, a non-rotating breech bolt carrying a firing pin, means carried by said action slide 4for reciprocating-said breechbolt, means for locking and unlocking said bolt carried by the slide, and means formed within saidslide for operating said locking and unlocking means.

9. In a gas operated gun, a .reciprocating action slide, a. reciprocating breech-bolt having a depending rear end portion, means carried by saidslide to engage the rear faceprovided with locking shoulders,5vmeans carried by said action slide for reciprocate ing the breech-bolt, and upright bars'carried and operated by said slide and adapted to engage and disengage said-locking shoul-A ders for locking and unlocking the breechbolt.-

11. In a gas operated'. gun, a reciprocating action slide, a reciprocating breech bolt provided with locking shoulders and a depending rear end portion, means carried by .the slide forfengaging' the rearface of said depending end to -move the boltforward, means formed on the slide adapted to en'- gage the rear face of the depending end to move fthe bolt rearward and upright bars carried and operated by the slide, said bars being lifted to engage :saidlocki-ng shoulders and lowered to disengage the shouldersfor locking and unlocking the said bolt. 12. In a glas',4 operated gun, a reciprocating action slide, a reciprocating breech-bolt having a depending portion, a spring actuated returnin pawl ivoted within a recess in'termediate the .ength of said slide, said pawl servin to engage with and return the breecholt durin the forward movement ofthe action sli e.

13. `In a gas operated gun, a reciprocating action s ide, a non-rotating reciprocating breech-bolt, and an integral upward eirtension formed onV the". slide adapted to. strike the outer end' of the firing pin to discharge a cartridge, an actuating formation within said slide, and means carried and operated by the formation Within the action slide for locking and unlocking said breech-bolt. p

14. In a gas operated gun, a .reciprocating action slide, a reciprocating breech-bolt provided with a centrally positioned firing pin, means carried by the slide for reci rocating said breech-bolt, means for loc 'ng ing action s and -unlockingthe breech-bolt carried by 'said slide, andan upper and lower cam sur face formed on said slide for raising said locking means to the locking josition and loweri-n'gsaid means to the un tiorr by the movement of the slide.

'15. In a as operated gun, a reciprocatide, a reciprocating breech bolt, means carried by the slide for reciprocating the breech-bolt, and means for locking and unlocking said bolt, consisting of a cylindrical pin fitted in a longitudinal slot passing transversely throu h the said slide, and carrying an upward?)7 extendedv locking .bar at each end of said pin, and an upperl and lower cam surface formed within said slide 5 adapted to elevate and depress said bars into the locked and unlockedposit-ion.

16. In a gas operated gun, a reciprocating action s ide, a reciprocating breech-bolt, an ejector pivoted to the gun frame operated by the breech-bolt to eject the empty shell, said ejector being so positioned as to serve as a stop to prevent loaded cartridges from falling out the ejecting lslot in the frame and to act as a gate for the magazine, an actuating formation within said slide, and means carried and operated by the formation within the action slide for locking and unlocking Said breech-bolt, A

417.In a gas operated gun, a reciprocatrovd'ed'with a longitudinal groove formed *1n one side thereof terminating in a shouldcr formed at its forward end, an ejector .4 pivoted to the gun frame having a rear eX- tension and a forward inclined extension, and` so positioned that it is operated by the `bI"ee h-bolt to eject the empty shell and serves as a stop to' prevent loaded cartridges from falling through the ej ecting, slot in 'the frame and` as a gate for the magazine,

an actu-ating formation Within said slide,

,and meansl carried and operated by the -formation within the action slide for locklng and unlocking said breech-bolt.

. 18. In a. I s operated gun, a 'reciprocating actions ide, a reciprocating breech bolt,

means carried by the slide for reciprocating the breecl1b0lt,.means carried and operatediby said slide for locking and unlock` ing the breech bolt, a cartridge magazine ANsLEY HQ FOX.

ocked posi -ing action slide, a reciprocating breech-bolt 

